


Finding You Can Change

by pinkevilbob



Series: Pinkevilbob's Widojest Week [6]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Beauty and the Beast Fusion, Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, F/M, Widojest Week
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-11
Updated: 2019-07-11
Packaged: 2020-06-26 10:16:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19766122
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pinkevilbob/pseuds/pinkevilbob
Summary: Right, so, just going to be honest with you guys, I wrote like the end scene of a Beauty and the Beast AU fic staring Caleb and Jester. If you want to read it, here it is. If you don't, just keep scrolling.





	Finding You Can Change

**Author's Note:**

> So MyBatteryIsLowAndItsGettingDark suggested a Beauty and the Beast Au and then Tambuli suggested a twist that I could not deny. So I wrote the end of what really should've been a multi-chapter fic. I regret nothing and am counting this as a bonus fic for the fairytale prompt for Widojest Week.

It was a tale as old as time. Or at least that's what Caleb was told. He wasn't sure that he believed that though. Caleb had a feeling that time existed before language was even a concept, but that kind of thinking has no place in love and poetry. Jester would grumble any time he brought logic into a conversation about stories or romance.

It was a straightforward enough tale; Caleb was a young man from the village ever curious and looking for more and Jester was, well, a beast. She was unlike anything Caleb had seen before with her blue skin, curling horns, and pointed tail. But she was at the same time was a young woman who loved sweet pastries, getting into mischief, and a good romance novel(though her and Caleb's opinions on what made a good romance novel often differed). That didn't change the fact that most people from the village would fear her for her looks, so Jester stayed in the castle hiding away from the world. "It's not so bad," Jester would say. "I've heard that the outside world is very overrated." There was always a distant, sad look on her face when she said that though.

Once, Jester told him that she was under a terrible curse that could only be broken by someone falling ‘madly in love with her and giving her true love’s kiss. “Then I won’t be alone anymore.” The look she gave him spoke volumes about how she hoped it was him. Caleb just shook his head. Falling in love was a mistake he was not going to make twice.

Caleb didn't stay at the castle, but he would frequently come up from the village to visit Jester. The castle had more books in it than Caleb had dared believe there were in the whole world. And if he had to be honest, Caleb enjoyed Jester's company. She was funny and had the sweetest smile. When he was back at the village, all of his thoughts would contain Jester.

The villagers had found out about Jester. A monster they called her and the term made Caleb sick to his stomach. He tried to tell them that she was good and lovely and fun and better than anyone in that village, but all Caleb got for his efforts was accusations of being mad. 

Caleb followed after the mob and tried to stop them, but they got to the castle before him. A hot fire was set on the castle and Caleb managed to put it out. It was only then he could get the village to listen to him and understand that Jester would never bring harm to them. But it wasn’t enough. An arrow shot out of the mob piercing Jester’s heart and Caleb’s heart fell.

It was as though Caleb’s world had ended. Jester saved Caleb’s life and he could do nothing for her as life and blood left her body. He held onto her cold hand tears rolling down his cheeks. “Don’t cry, Caleb,” Jester said her voice soft and fading.

“Oh Jester,” Caleb whispered. “This isn’t how it’s supposed to end. You never even got to leave the castle.” 

“But I got to meet you Caleb.” Jester smiled like she couldn’t imagine anything better.

The tears fell on to Jester’s face. “Jester, there’s so many things I wanted to show you. You can’t leave me not like this.”

“I’m not going anywhere.” But the light in Jester’s eyes was fading. 

Caleb could sense the presence of the shamed villagers behind him watching, but Caleb didn’t care. Let them watch as his heart died. He froze; he loved her. “You can’t leave, Jester. You can’t die. I’m lost without you.”

A sweet smile was tainted by the hint of blood in the corner of Jester’s mouth. “Oh Caleb, I-” but she didn’t finish what she was going to say.

“No, no, no.” Caleb couldn’t believe it. He kissed her. “True love’s kiss. See that fixes everything.” Pressing his lips gently to hers, he kissed her again. “You to come back. You have to.” Again and again, Caleb kissed her in desperation. “I love you.”

“Well, it’s about time.” A lilting whisper brushed Caleb’s ear. The hair on Caleb’s neck stood on end. Green mist swirled around him and Jester. He could practically taste magic from it. Caleb tried to focus on Jester but the mist grew thicker and thicker until he couldn’t see anything. Shivers ran down his spine and his everything. As fast as the mist came, it dissipated. Gasps filled the air behind.

But Caleb didn’t care as he saw Jester stirred. Blood no longer stained the stones beneath. Jester was whole and healthy. She cracked open an eye. “Caleb? Is it true? Can you truly love me?”

“Ja. I truly do.” Caleb nodded clutching her hand. A soft thumping came from behind him, but he paid it no mind. Jester was alive.

Jester gasped once she fully opened her eyes. “Caleb! What happened to you?”

Caleb looked down at his hands to discover they were now a bright red and his fingers ended in claws. He felt at his mouth to find fangs, and his hands trailed upwards to discover a pair of horns growing out of his head. Behind him a long thin tail similar to Jester’s swished lazily on the ground.

“This isn’t what’s supposed to happen,” Jester said her eyes filling with tears. “My curse was supposed to be broken. Not spread to you.” She drew away from him crouching down into a little huddle. “I don’t blame you if you hate me.” Her voice was thick with tears.

“Nein, I could never hate you. How could I? Now I match the girl I love. Now you’re not alone anymore.” Caleb wrapped his tail around Jester’s.

Jester looked at him with eyes full of admiration and tears. “But the village?”

The voices he had been ignoring suddenly assailed Caleb all at once. Questions and accusations were being slung all about. It was all too overwhelming and he didn’t know where to begin to protect Jester from it all. A hand rested gently on Caleb’s shoulder, Nott. “We’ll take care of them,” she said. Behind her, Fjord and Beau were already handling the crowd. “But you’ll have to tell me all about your girlfriend later.”

“Girlfriend?” Caleb was grateful that he was now completely red and no one could see him blush anymore. 

Jester giggled, but it was weak and watery. “Did you really mean it? What you said about matching the girl you love?”

“Ja, I did. Jester, I love you very much,” Caleb said.

She smiled but ducked her head down. “So, is she right about me being your girlfriend?”

“Actually, I think I’d prefer the term fiancee if you don’t mind it,” Caleb said with a shy sly smile.

Jester tackled Caleb in a tight hug.

“I’ll take that as a yes.”

**Author's Note:**

> TIEFLING CALEB!!! Yeah that's why I wrote this.
> 
> So I was going to write an epilogue, but it just didn't work. But just know that Caleb and Jester got married and live in the village together and sometimes visit the castle. Caleb is a teacher and Jester works at the bakery. They are happy and cute together.


End file.
